Student stabbed to death at Connecticut high school

David Owens

Students spray painted a rock outside Jonathan Law High School in memory of their friend Maren Sanchez. Photo: Reuters

Milford, Connecticut: A 16-year-old Connecticut high school student was stabbed to death on Friday morning, and police are investigating whether the 16-year-old male who is suspected of killing her had wanted to take her to the prom, which was scheduled for Friday night.

Jonathan Law High School junior Maren Sanchez was killed in a hallway at the school.

The suspect, also a junior at the school, was charged as a juvenile offender with murder. His name is being withheld because he is a minor, police said.

"The unexpected and sudden loss of our beloved family member Maren Victoria Sanchez is both shocking and devastating," said her cousin, Edward Kovac of Easton. "Maren should be celebrating at her prom this evening with her friends and classmates. Instead, we are mourning her death and we are trying as a community to understand this senseless loss of life."

The victim lived with her mother, Donna Cimarelli-Sanchez.

Milford Police Chief Keith Mello said the assault, about 7.15am, was partly witnessed by a staff member, who tried to help the victim. Others joined the effort, and emergency services personnel soon arrived to take Ms Sanchez to Bridgeport Hospital.

Advertisement

She was pronounced dead at 7.43am, Chief Mello said.

"There was blood on her neck. It was awful," said Sam Garcia, a junior at the school, as he walked home. "I saw the girl lying on the stretcher when they took her out."

Police said Ms Sanchez suffered multiple lacerations to her neck, chest and face. Investigators recovered a knife at the scene.

A Jonathan Law senior, Rebecca Golden, said she was on the stairs when she looked down and saw someone on the floor. She said she could only see the legs and thought it was a boy. Several teachers were there and one of them was crying and hysterical, she said.

"I tried to look but they just pushed me out," she said.

Ms Golden said she has known Ms Sanchez for three years, primarily through the swim team, of which Ms Sanchez was the manager. She was also class president in her freshman and sophomore years.

"She's very nice, she's very supportive of everyone," Ms Golden said. "She was just always happy. She always had a smile on her face."

Counsellors were at the school to help the students deal with the tragedy and a banner was hung where students could share their memories of Ms Sanchez.

Ms Sanchez was a talented singer and performed Home by Phillip Phillips at a school talent show last school year. A video of her performance is on YouTube.

Kyle Scell, 15, a sophomore, said Ms Sanchez was "a friend to everyone. She always helped people out."

Students plan to wear purple on Monday to honour Ms Sanchez.

Outside the school, students, teachers and others gathered to paint a rock purple and to paint Ms Sanchez's name and her birth date, August 26, 1997. They also painted a large white heart on the rock.

Mr Kovac read a statement from the family to media gathered near the school.

"After a terrible experience like this, we can never forget the lessons about school violence that must be learned from this tragedy. The unprovoked attack on Maren this morning ... has resulted in the permanent loss of ... a bright light full of hopes and dreams with her future at her fingertips," he said.

He described Ms Sanchez as "a wonderful person" who was an honours student. She loved to take photos, loved animals and dreamed of being a veterinarian. "She had her whole world ahead of her."

Students who were acquainted with the alleged attacker said there was no sign he could be violent. Several people said he was an average student who had friends.

The suspect will be arraigned in juvenile court in New Haven on Monday. Authorities will determine whether the case is transferred to adult court.